How to Make a Boutonniere
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Boutonnieres are a floral decoration worn on a suit. These days, they’re reserved for formal occasions like proms, weddings or funerals, whereas in the early decades of the last century, boutonnieres were a common part of a man’s wardrobe, worn on the lapel.
A boutonniere can be small, made from stems of tiny multi-bud flowers like Gypsophila, aka Baby’s Breath, or they can be larger and made more elaborate from roses or lilies.
You can also make a boutonniere from silk or paper flowers store bought, or if you’re ambitious, make them yourself. Below we’ve got a step-by-step so you can get started.
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Gather your supplies. You’ll need the following:
- Flowers - real, silk or paper. Designer's choice!
- Floral wire
- Craft scissors
- Stainless steel tweezers
- Wire cutter plier
- Floral tape - green, the self sticky kind
- Pen or pencil
- Silk pins - long
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Step One:
Prepare your working space, if you’re worried about damaging your tabletop, consider a cutting mat to protect your surfaces.
Step Two:
Select your flower and cut the stems down to about 2”. Use a wire cutter if you’re working with silk flowers. The plastic stems usually have a wire in the center. This is what keeps them upright and sturdy.
Trim off anything you don’t want in your boutonniere, like extra leaves or flower buds. For a clean cut use a sprue cutter. This tool is specially designed to remove small protrusions.
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Step Three:
Cut a 5” piece of floral wire. Wrap the floral tape around the top end of the wire. Then add the flower stem and wrap around several times so the wire is secured to the flower. Remember to stretch the tape so it sticks to itself.
Add any additional stems of decorative flowers. Wrap the tape securely several times each time you add a stem. Work your way down. You don’t want the tape to be all in one place, this will create an unsightly and bulky stem.
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Step Four:
Once all stems are added, keep wrapping the floral tape around the floral wire creating a nice, even taper. To finish, wrap the bottom end of the wire around a pen or pencil to create a spiral. Bend to style.
Add silk pinks to attach to the lapel and you’re done!